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5 Alternative and Unexpected Career Choices For Nurses

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By Monica Florita, R.N.

Hello, world. You are constantly changing, evolving, getting stronger and mightier. But guess what? So are nurses. Having a career is great. Doing a career you love is amazing. Nurses are flexible individuals who excel at what they do. Even if you place them in an innovative career, they would just be an iron bar under constant heat, becoming bendable and suitable for whatever challenge they may face. You can find “jack of all trades’ in most nurses. So if tested? Challenge accepted.

In this world of constant change and need for growth, what are the careers where nurses can evolve to? Nurses are known for being exquisitely adequate for any job as long as he put his mind into it. If there isn’t a nursing career in the world, where can we find our nurses? Here are some surprising suggestions:

1. Flight Attendant

Similarity: Ensures client health and safety

Flight Attendant

Aside from having free trips around the world, nurses can very much enjoy this job. She can apply the skills and attitude acquired in the nursing profession in being a flight attendant because these two jobs are somewhat related. Flight attendants ensure health and safety of their passengers. They teach safety measures and make sure to provide comfort throughout the time of travel. They even have similar training like First Aid and Basic Life Support.

Nurses, on the other hand, does not have the luxury of travel, or the elegance of welcoming the patients. Who wants to be welcomed in the hospital anyway? We can’t say, ‘Welcome aboard!’, or ‘Glad you’re here with us’. That would be incredibly absurd, and comical. But nurses ensure comfort and ease of patients throughout his confinement, or even during check-ups. We are flight attendants but with less elegance, more actions, less travel and more compassion. We are great health attendants.

2. Artists

Similarity: Innovativeness

Are you one of those who keep tallying repeated terms your instructor tells you? If yes, (I think you also had that back then) then did you count how many times did she quoted, “Nursing is an art”? You’d probably ran out of paper. That’s how they emphasized that Nursing is very much an Art.

If it happens that you’re not a nurse, your artistic side can probably rise high and be valuable in the world of Art. I know many colleague nurses that have a creative side and excel in drawing, sketching and painting. These nurses probably have their left side of their brain functioning well. Nurses are gifted individuals. For some who are gifted with the other side of their brain, they mostly excel at nursing skills and put their personal kind of Art on it. Even on simple procedures like IV insertion, Art can be integrated in the way you secure the IV site. You can put innovativeness on bed making and bed bathing your patient. Having creative interventions can make our patients feel well and necessary. These are simple ways yet comforting to our patients. Just don’t paint ‘Monalisa’ on your patient’s cast, a simple drawing will do.

3. Lawyer

Similarity: Client Advocacy

Lawyer working at his desk in the office

Yes, you read it right. LAWYER.  Have you heard of a nurse-lawyer before? I have a friend who chose this path, and she is splendid at it. You’re probably wondering how these two different professions can be as one? Their similarity – being a PATIENT ADVOCATE.  Nurses and lawyers speak on their client’s behalf and work to represent the best for their clients. As patient advocates, we are the voice of our patients. If they are in pain but don’t have an order, we relay it on the physician. Same with lawyers, if their clients are accused guilty, they plead innocence. You don’t have to do massive changes like write to the President to lower the cost of medicines for your patients to afford it. Remember, great things are wrapped in small packages.

4. Writer

Similarity: Documentation and Communication Experts

Female Writer Working On Her New Book.

Since we are excellent at documenting, why not make a career out of it? Nurses can be good writers. If you have numerous patients per shift, with many medications, Nasogastric feeding, monitoring of vital signs every 15 minutes, plus other toxic patients, you are probably (forcibly) trained in writing, right? Great experiences make great memories. Great memories should be preserved through writing. So if you have the passion and skills, make your nursing career a remarkable one by sharing stories that will exist for the next generations. Your experiences are treasures.

5. Instructors

Similarity: Teaching and inspiring

First aid CPR seminar.

When I was in elementary, I have noticed a banner in our school grounds which says, “Be proud you are a teacher, the future depends on you”. So that means as educators in our own field, we must be proud of ourselves because everyone’s future depends on us. We take care of people of all ages. We do health education from ‘womb to tomb’. We empower our patients. We served as inspirations for some.

There is no future without us. Oh, wait! I think that’s overstated. There will still be a future without nurses, but in case that happens, it would be a crude one.

Bonus: 6. Chef

Similarity: Preparing and cooking healthy meals

Grilled Tuna Fish With Vegetables

If you are a nurse, and you’re good at cooking, then you’re a supernatural nurse! You can be a chef and serve food that nourishes the body. With a compassionate approach appetizing presentation, you’ll be a KNOCKOUT. Who wouldn’t eat any meal you served? Others may order extra rice if you do.

Diet is an important aspect of our health teaching as nurses. Teaching is a great thing, but cooking it for others is another. Same as chefs, they consider food as their ‘Obra Maestra’. So if you want to switch careers, being a chef is a ‘yummy’ option.

We can excel in everything we do. Whatever career we may be, for as long as we do our best in doing the job, then it’s the best career for us.

I know you have something in mind. If you’re not a nurse, what career would you choose?

Monica Florita is a registered nurse in the Philippines. She worked in hospitals before deciding to be an Occupational Health nurse. She considered writing a hobby as useful in imparting knowledge and inspiration to members the nursing profession.

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